


We Come Together (When We Collide Christmas Special)

by 4eyesBarbie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adult Hermione Granger, Baby James Sirius Potter, Bisexual Remus Lupin, Black Hermione Granger, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Special, Domestic Bliss, F/F, F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Giants, Happy Ending, Indian Harry Potter, Lesbian Character, M/M, Married Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Sirius Black, Not Canon Compliant, One Big Happy Family, Post-Canon, Queer Character, Queer Families, Queerplatonic Relationships, Quidditch Player Ginny Weasley, Raising Teddy Lupin, Remus Lupin Lives, Sirius Black Lives, Slice of Life, Trans Character, Welsh Character, Welsh Remus Lupin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:40:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28301724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4eyesBarbie/pseuds/4eyesBarbie
Summary: It's Christmas 2004, Remus and Sirius are hosting their friends and family at 12 Grimauld Place.Everything is nice and fluffy and nobody is sad, because queer stories can have, and deserve to have, happy endings without having to compromise. Especially during the holidays.The middle-aged wizards know that no family bond is stronger than the bond you forge with your chosen family. Love is the weapon.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid/Olympe Maxime, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	We Come Together (When We Collide Christmas Special)

Remus Lupin shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and back again, and again. Okay, he was hopping in place now, this bloody bus better show up within the next few minutes or he'd be forced to set fire to his messenger bag to keep warm. And what a day to be late! Of all the days the public transportation infrastructure could fail, it had to be the day they'd finally get to meet their first grandchild.  
To be fair to the frequently underfunded and constantly overpopulated transport system, it always did come to a complete halt as soon as the temperature fell anywhere near single figures. Coupled with the few inches of snow that had managed to stick to the wet pavement over the last couple of hours, it was really no surprise that the bus was late. Had he thought about it for more than a minute, he could have closed up hours ago, and been home by now. It might even have been an idea to take the bus to London city centre and simply Floo from the Leaky Cauldron.  
But, hindsight being twenty-twenty, here he was, hopping, considering apparating.  
There was no place to safely apparate from, though, and he was entirely unfamiliar with any wizarding establishments nearby from which he could Floo. He was stuck. He cursed under his breath in Welsh as he continued his dance that set to churn the fresh white snow under his feet into a brown slushy, wrapping his parka jacket tightly around him.

***

"What time does he call this, eh?"

It was said with mirth, of course, but seeing as the snow didn't seem to let up any time soon, it was with a pinch of genuine worry that Sirius Black jokingly chided their husband, finished hanging the soaked little overalls to dry on the maiden in front of the fire, and scooped the giggling, half-naked toddler off the floor, tucking him under their arm.

"Time for your bath, mister!"

To be fair, they could use a bath themself, after having spent the day cleaning and decorating in anticipation of their guests arrival.  
Turns out that, once you manage to exorcise the spirited portrait of your dear departed mother, and given the many generations of house elves past a proper burial, Grimauld Place wasn't all that bad.  
Whereas it had once had felt cold and foreboding, it was now quite the picture of a friendly Victorian townhouse fit to raise a modern family.  
The room that once had belonged to their brother was now turned into Teddy's nursery, and Sirius' own childhood bedroom was set up as a guestroom - bed made and fresh towels laid out for Harry and Ginny. They'd even set up Teddy's old crib, with some help from Dora, ready for the new baby.

Teddy stood next to the large claw-foot bathtub, arms deep in the frothing water, while Sirius combed their hair through. It was long now, longer than it had ever been, and taking longer to tame than ever, too. Teddy's hair had been yellow for most of the day, but when the steam from the water touched it, it changed through orange to a reddish pink, as if it reacted to the heat.  
Sirius turned the tap off and tested the water with their elbow. Perfect.

"Okay?" they turned to the five-year-old for confirmation, "water alright?"  
The boy nodded, and Sirius lifted him over the edge of the tub before climbing in themself. 

***

Well over two hours later than usual, Remus finally hung his wet coat and bag inside the front door, and toed his shoes off, taking his socks off while he was at it.  
He'd just about made it to the kitchen where he threw the socks straight into the washing machine, when the sound of small, slipper-clad feet reached his ears.  
Teddy skidded into the kitchen but stopped abruptly, with a disappointed "oh" when he saw who it was.

"...I thought it was uncle Harry and the new baby…" he pouted. 

Remus, stuffing pages of the Daily Prophet into his wet shoes - to the great horror of the people pictured in the articles - laughed at the grumpy grimace his son gave him.

"I've missed you too, frog-spawn."

"Daddy, you're wet."

"I know, buddy, it's snowing outside."

"I know," the boy lit up, "we got wet on the way home, but we had a bath!"

Remus lit the gas cooker and put the kettle over the flame.  
"A bath sounds nice, I think I shall have one too, before our guests arrive."

He scooped Teddy up and buried his cold face in the child's neck, making him squeal and squirm.

In the lounge, Sirius still had their hair in a towel, but had changed into a long black tulle skirt and a maroon sweater which belonged to Remus. They had opened a bottle of red wine and left it to air on the bar-trolley, four glasses ready and waiting next to it. Large over-ear headphones covered both their ears where they sat curled up in front of the fireplace, which explained why they had yet to notice Remus' return.  
The Pixies' Wave of Mutilation was spinning on the turntable to which the headphones were connected, and the cover sleeve was being read thoroughly.  
Remus quietly set Teddy down on the floor and put his finger to his lips, gesturing to the child to stay quiet, while he snuck up behind the back of the couch. But their werepup, in an attempt to get a better view of the Big Fright promptly walked into Sirius' peripheral vision, causing them to turn around and take their headphones off, sitting up as they did so.

"Hey kiddo, what's…"

"Ah no, baba, you ruined it!" Teddy slumped dramatically onto the rug.

"What?" Sirius laughed, "what did I ruin?"

"The surprise," Remus replied with a smile, getting up from behind the couch.

With a happy yelp, Sirius leapt up onto the seat and threw their arms around his neck. Teddy followed suit, hopping up and down on with both hands on the backrest. 

"Daddy was behind the sofa, baba, you were supposed to be scared!" He squealed happily, feigning anger as well as you could expect from an excited five-year-old.

***

Teddy would usually be in bed by now, but he had been given special permission to stay up until Harry and Ginny arrived with The New Baby.  
The new baby was, in fact, a ten-month-old, but between Harry's full time position as professor of Defence Against The Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Ginny being back to travelling up and down the country as the new coach of the Holyhead Harpies, baby strapped to her back, it simply had not been possible for the young power-couple to take time off.  
But with school out for the holidays and quidditch season on winter break, the stars had finally aligned for them to be able to travel down to London. Not wanting to neither Floo nor apparate with an infant in tow, they had decided to drive from The Burrow, which was already quite the journey even before the snow.  
As it turned out, by the time the doorbell rang at 12 Grimauld Place, Teddy had long since fallen asleep in his father's lap.  
Now, his little head shot up, his hair, as if reacting to the sudden movement, turned instantaneously from red to violently purple. He rubbed at his eyes.

"Harry?"

But was apparently not awake enough to get to his feet, because he allowed himself to be picked up by Remus as he followed Sirius to the front door. 

"Harry, my boy!" Sirius embraced their godson, and Harry returned the gesture.

"Sirius, it's so good to see you!" Then, noticing his old DADA professor, "Remus, how are you?"

Remus smiled warmly at them as he gently guided his partner backwards by a hand on their shoulder to allow the weary travellers to come inside, a wriggling child on his arm.

"I'm well, thank you, Harry. Ginny, darling, come inside. Hang on, Teddy, let them close the door behind them before you ambush them."

Well inside the lounge the two young parents could finally put their bags down, and Teddy, as promised, was let loose. He ran straight to the basket Ginny had sat down on the floor and stuck his head under the canopy.  
Inside, a small, brown face peaked out of the blankets. The baby was asleep, round cheeks rosy, eyelashes long and dark, a tuft of dark hair on top of his little head.  
Teddy stared in wide-eyed reverence at the little creature, not yet bold enough to touch, he stood transfixed by the basket, just looking.  
Harry, having been thoroughly welcomed by his godparents, came over and crouched beside him, wrapping an arm around the child.

"Beautiful, isn't he?"

Teddy nodded, leaning into Harry and sticking his thumb into his mouth, still unable to take his eyes off that little face.

"His name is James, like my dad."

This piqued Teddy's curiosity, and he whipped his head around to look questioning at Harry, as if the notion of grown-ups having parents of their own was somehow bizarre.  
Indeed, many of the generations born during both the first and second wizarding war had found themselves orphaned, and so, for Teddy's generation, grandparents must have seemed a novel concept.  
However, this was something he'd have to ponder another time, because his baba had come over and crouched opposite them across the basket.

"James. It suits him. He looks like him."  
Harry smiled.

"James Sirius Potter." Harry's green eyes looked straight into his godparent's stormy grey. "We named him after the two of you. Don't tell Remus, but if we have another boy we're going to name him after him. Ron has called dibs on 'Fred'," he chuckled.

Sirius made a gesture across their mouth that suggested they were zipping it closed, broad smile on their face.  
They looked over to the fireplace, where Ginny and Remus were stood, both admiring the domestic scene. Ginny crossed her arms in front of her, cocking her hip and putting on a faux air of suspicion.

"What are you lot cooking up over there?" 

With a squeal of delight, Teddy ran over to her and pulled on her jumper.  
"Auntie Ginny can I hold the baby please?"

She crouched down to his level and took his little hands in hers.  
"When he wakes up. He's very tired now, because he's had a very long day. I'm sure you have too." 

The corners of the child's little mouth turned sharply downwards, but he nodded nonetheless, and looked longingly over at the little bundle in the basket.

"Ginny, dear, would you like a glass of wine?" Remus asked, pouring the first of four glasses. 

"Oh Godrick yes, please!" She got up, and accepted the glass gratefully, taking a hearty sip.  
Remus held out the next glass to Harry, who took it, equally gratefully. 

"Can you drink wine when you're breastfeeding?" He asked his wife. It was a genuine question, but delivered with his patent cluelessness.  
Ginny swallowed her mouthful, while pointing a warning finger in his direction. 

"Shut it, dear, or I'll drink yours too."

***

Sirius was sitting on the bedside in the master bedroom when Remus came back in through the en suite door, dressed in his pyjamas and dressing gown.  
In their hands was a framed photograph, a young couple in front of a grand Christmas tree waved at the photographer. The young woman wore her copper hair in a high ponytail, and her puff-sleeve dress was the height of 80's fashion. The young man wore a traditional Indian kurta for the occasion, and held up between them, a bright-eyed infant stared in wonderment at a conjured robin, spelled to fly around the tree.  
Remus sat down next to his partner, admiring the photograph over their shoulder. 

"Is this at Jamie's parents' house?"

"Yeah. Harry's first Christmas. Their last."  
Their voice was thick with un-shed tears.

"I'm sorry, dear." Remus brushed their long dark hair off their shoulder and tested his head there. 

"They look like them," Sirius continued, clearing their throat. "Standing in our parlour, with that little baby, they looked so much like James and Lily, I almost couldn't stand it."

Remus took the frame from their hand and placed it on the bedside table, then he hooked a hand under the back of Sirius' knees and put them over his lap, pulling them into an embrace, rocking them slowly. They let out a sniffle, and suddenly they seemed so small. Like when they were teenagers, back at Hogwarts, holding each other under the covers.  
Then, they had cried together with James and Peter, because the world was frightening and confusing, because people were cruel and judgmental, or because they'd had their hearts broken. They had held each other when Regulus had joined their parents and disowned Sirius, when James' parents had caught dragonpox unexpectedly and passed away, when, eventually Remus had forgiven them for exposing his lycanthropy to none other than Severus Snape.  
Now it was just the two of them left, but, after all the mistrust, betrayal and heartbreak that had passed between them, they did have each other again. And now they had what was essentially their grandchild.

"They would have been so proud of their son," Remus mumbled into Sirius' hair. "And, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think they'd be pretty proud of us too."

Sirius chuckled into their husband's chest.  
"The lad raised himself! Godrick knows Lily's sister and her ass of a husband didn't help, and neither did we."

"We couldn't have, at the time. But don't you think we've done a pretty good job putting him back together after all he's been through?"

Wiping their nose on their nightgown sleeve, Sirius sat upright, chuckling under their breath.  
"I think he put the both of us back together as much as we did him."

"It was a group effort," Remus smiled, brushing strands of dark hair out of their face, "a family effort, if you will."

"Have I told you today how much I love you?"

"Yes, but I don't mind you repeating yourself."

"I love you, Remus Lupin."

"I love you too, Sirius Black."

***

The following morning when the two middle-aged wizards shuffled downstairs, this is the scene that met them.

The utensils in the kitchen had been charmed to peel, chop, stir and fry. The sink was full of steaming water, and the washing-up brush and dishtowel were clearing up as they went.  
In the lounge, the fire roared, and charmed snow fell on the tree and the presents underneath. A pot of coffee had just brewed, and Harry set a ceramic mug down on the mantle piece for Ginny, who was sitting on the floor, holding baby James' hands steady as the boy imitated Teddy, who stood in front of them, lifting one foot then the other as if walking in place.  
Celestina Warback's classic holiday album played softly on the stereo. Both the young parents wore this year's edition of Molly's traditional knitted jumpers with their initials on the front.  
On the backrest of Remus' reading chair sat a noctua owl they recognised as belonging to Hagrid, its head tucked under its wing, sleeping peacefully.  
It was their son who spotted them first, crying out happily, he ran towards them.

"Baba, daddy, look! I'm teaching James to walk!"

Sirius ruffled the boy's hair, chuckling.  
"That's so kind of you, you're such a good big cousin."

Ginny came over and gave them both a one-armed hug each.  
"Good morning, granpies," she shoved baby James into Remus' arms, "if you excuse me, I need that coffee."

Harry lifted Teddy up by the armpits and swung him over his head, onto his shoulders, making him squeal with joy.

"There's more coffee in the kitchen," he winked at them, "we thought we'd let you sleep in, and get lunch started, and some prep for tomorrow." He looked up at Teddy, who had grabbed two tufts of his unruly hair, the boy's own locks had changed colour to match as soon as he'd landed on Harry's shoulders.  
"Teddy here is going to help me shovel snow, aren't you, Teddy? So that aunty Hagrid and aunty Olympe can actually get to the door when they get here."

Ginny, mouth full of coffee, made a flapping hand-gesture at them from over on the couch, swallowing the coffee hard.  
"Mmm, yes, sorry I forgot to say, Rubeus oweled, she and Olympe are coming earlier than expected, so they're joining us for lunch."

"Don't worry, though," Harry reassured them, clearly having seen the overwhelmed looks on his godparents' faces, "Ron and Hermione are still coming tonight as planned." He paused, then added, "again, there's coffee in the kitchen."

Thanking the young couple for all their help, the two remaining Marauders took baby James with them to the kitchen, where it had started to smell like Christmas dinner.  
The pots and pans simmered contently, and a dustpan and brush was meticulously clearing any debris left by the cooking process.  
Sirius poured mugs of coffee for the both of them and they sat down at the long oak table. Remus with the gurgling baby on his lap. They drank their brews in blissful silence, gently smiles on both their lips as they watched the ten-month-old chew on Remus' thumb with his gummy mouth.

"I think he's teething…" he mumbled. 

"When your children come home for the holidays," Sirius mused, "aren't you meant to spoil them, not the other way around? Not saying I have any experience in that realm, but you know, I've heard things…"

"Suppose you're right, dear," Remus chuckled, "but we've never been ones for conformity, have we now?" He winked at his spouse. 

Sirius chuckled, and nudged him gently with their shoulder. 

***

The giants did indeed arrive earlier than expected, ringing the doorbell and letting themselves into the narrow hall of the Victorian townhouse, snow falling off their boots and coats, booming voices as large and loud as the ladies themselves. Olympe had to crouch to get through the door, as she towered even over the likes of Rubeus.  
They brought bags of gifts, homemade fudge and firewhiskey, which was immediately poured, plated up and put under the tree, as appropriate.

"Hagrid," Ginny put a hand on her elbow to get her attention as she was cooing over little Teddy, who was showing off how many pieces of fudge he could fit in his mouth.  
"Hagrid, there's someone Harry and I would like you to meet…" she smiled widely, as she stepped aside to make way for her husband, who was carrying their son in his arms.

The large woman drew a sharp breath, tears filling her eyes at once.

"By Merlin, Harry…!" She sniffed, wiped at her eye with the back of her bin-lid size fists.

Harry walked up to them, his smile matching that of his wife.  
"Would you like to hold him? There aren't a safer pair of hands in Britain than yours, after all."

She nodded enthusiastically, and after she had smoothed down her beard and brushed her jumper off, she held out her hands, and Harry placed the infant in them like in a cradle.

"By Merlin, look at 'im. 'E's the most beautiful li'l thing, in't he?"

"We certainly think so." Ginny beamed proudly, standing up a little straighter and exchanging a loving glance with Harry.

The two hosts watched over the scene from the couch, both taking contented sips of their firewhiskey.  
Not only did the once dark and gloomy house both look and feel like a home, but it was the kind of home where friends gathered, where people liked to be.  
It was a home where children were welcomed and loved, where good food was cooked in good company, and good spirits were shared.  
More than anything, it was a home built on love and acceptance - of their love for each other and weird and wonderful group of friends, their love of their son, their godson, and now their grand-godson. It was a loving home for chosen family as well as blood-relations.

Ron and Hermione arrived to join in the festivities as planned through the Floo network that afternoon, laden with wholly jumpers for all in attendance.  
There were more hugs and gifts exchanged, and more tears from Hagrid as Hermione took her hand and placed it on her stomach, where the first of hers and Ron's children had started to kick.  
As the evening drew on, Hermione picked Ginny's brain on tricks and tips as they pertained to pregnancy and birth. Since neither had had more than the one drink, they had retreated to the window seat, where Harry, ever the valiant hero, supplied them with a steady stream of mince pies, nuts and sweet persimmons.  
Teddy had fallen asleep in the arms of Olympe, as the two giant women sat on the couch by the fire, leaning on each other, half asleep themselves and nursing their whiskeys.  
The baby was long since asleep in his basket, guarded by the now-awake owl.  
Remus and Sirius had snuck away into the kitchen, where they shared a cigarette, standing hand in hand by the cooling cooker. They stood in silence, enjoying the faint sound of the young women's chatter and hearty laughs, and the soothing tones of a muggle Christmas album.

"Bloody hell, it's like mom's kitchen in here." Ron entered the kitchen with a tray of empty dishes.  
"Can I just put these in the sink?"

"I've gotten rather good at household magic over the years, if I do say so myself," Sirius winked, cigarette between their teeth.

"In no small part thanks to dear old Molly, if I may add," Remus took the fag out of his partner's mouth, returning the wink that Sirius had supplied, on Ron's behalf.

"I reckon I should brush up on those myself, seeing as we have a mess-on-legs coming pretty soon," the young man smiled, admiring the washing-up brush and dish-towel making short work of the dishes he'd just put in the water.  
"Been growing a moustache and all. Trying to look more, you know, fatherly."

Apparently the confession embarrassed him some, because his ears and cheeks turned beet red, and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.  
The two middle-aged wizards smiled warmly, no doubt remembering the first time Dora had left them to look after the infant Teddy, after the amicable split, which felt like another lifetime now.  
They had all still been so broken then.

"You'll do fine, you know," Sirius reassured him, "especially with Hermione by your side, she's brilliant, that girl."

"She's not slowing down, you know," Ron leaned casually on the long oak table, "She's forever in court, arguing, campaigning and writing amendment proposals…" he shook his head, in equal parts admiration and disbelief.

"She's the brightest witch of her age," Remus shrugged, a knowing smile on his lips, "and she's trying to do some good in this world."

***

**Author's Note:**

> You have been reading the freestanding holiday special based in my "When-We-Collide-verse", which features characters and a world which I did not create and do not own.  
> It is un-beta'd, unresearched, riddled with inconsistencies and mistakes, not limited to the linguistic kind.  
> Nevertheless... Wolfstar lives! Trans rights are human rights! Happy holidays everybody!


End file.
